Track liner



4 20 BZYM QDW Mfg K June 19, 1962 J. L.. MOMILLAN 3,039,742

TRACK LINER Filed 001. 23, 1957 2 SheetsSheet 1 June 19, 1962 J. L. MOMILLAN 3,039,742

TRACK LINER Filed Oct. 23, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States atent Ofi'ice 3,039,742 Patented June 19, 1962 3,e3s,742 TRACK LINER John L. McMiiian, Po. Box 1045, Springfield, 111. Filed Oct. 23, 1957, S81. No. 691,823 14 cranes. c1. 254-43 My invention relates to a track liner or, more specifically, to a device to be used in conjunction with a railroad track jack for correcting minor lateral misalignments of the track rails.

There are devices currently on the market for shifting railroad track. These devices are intended to move the track over a substantial distance such as several feet. The devices are expensive, intricate, and require considerable road bed preparation in order to apply them to the tracks and to provide a base against which force may be exerted so as to shift the track laterally.

My device is not generally intended for this purpose, although it may be so used. Rather, it is intended to correct minor deviations in the alignment of track, on the order of up to six inches or somewhat more. My device meets the requirements of the great majority of track alignment jobs where the intention is simply to eliminate minor track curvatures in order to improve the smoothness of operation of the trains thereon.

My device enjoys notable advantages over anything hitherto known in the art. It is a unitary metal member, desirably cast, simple in form, and with no moving parts. It is to be used in conjunction with common forms of track jacks which are always available and at hand in any railroad maintenance undertaking. It is virtually indestructible under the most arduous circumstances of use. Finally, the removal of a single shovelful of ballast from the track bed is usually sufiicient preparation to use my device.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a track liner embodying my invention shown in operating conjunction with a track jack and a rail which is being moved',

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the track liner;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation as seen from the left side of FIG. 3 indicated by the arrows 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a section taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation of a track liner and jack illustrating a modification of my invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of my track liner;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the track liner of FIG. 7, showing, however, a different relation of the parts;

FIG. 9 is a section through the track liner illustrated in FIG. 7, taken substantially along the line 9--9 of FIG. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation of the track liner and associated jack parts illustrating a jack toe extension which may be used in conjunction with my track liner;

FIG. 11 is a section which may be regarded as being taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 12 is an elevation of the base portion of the track liner illustrating a base cap which may be used inconjunction with my track liner; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the base cap of FIG. 12 detached from the track liner.

The illustrated track liner 10 embodying my invention may be regarded as consisting of a central web 12 surrounded by a heavy flange 14. The central web is approximately an inch thick and the flange may be about two inches thick. My device is desirably formed of cast iron or steel.

The sides of the structure may be identified as a base 16, a top side 18, a bottom side 20, and a head or jaw face 22. The angular relations between the sides are significant.

It will be noted that the top side is not exactly straight. There is a slight arch or small, 8 angle 24. The angle 24 contributes strength to the structure and imparts a desired angularity as between the base and top side, but generally the top side will be treated hereafter as being straight. The angle between the base 16 and the top side 18 is about That between the base 16 and the bottom side 20 is about The angle resulting from a projection of the bottom side 2% and the front surface of the jaw face or head '22 is likewise about 120. The angle between the long edge of the top side 13 and the front surface of the head 22 is about 50. It should be noted that the downward projections from the front surface of the head 22 and the base 16 make about a 60 angle.

The flange defining the head or jaw face 22 is of substantial depth and has one or more notches 30 therein. The lower edge 32 of the notches is perpendicular with respect to the front surface of the head. The upper edge 34 of the notches is inclined with respect to the bottom edge to about the same degree that the upper and lower surfaces 36 and 38 respectively of the flange 40 of a track rail 42 are inclined with respect to each other. The depth of the notches is such as to encompass substantially the whole of a rail flange on one side of the web 44 thereof, or at least a substantial portion of the flange. As will be noted in FIG. 1, however, the spacing between the notch sides 32 and '34 is greater than the width of the rail flange so that the notches embrace the rail flange loosely, and some arcuate movement of the track liner is possible when the track liner is engaged against a rail. The spacing between notches should be about two inches. It will be further noted that the flange defining the head is deep enough to accommodate comfortably these notches and still have metal of flange width behind them as at 43.

The flange portion defining the head 22 is bulged downwardly as at 46 below the line of the bottom side 20 so as to impart additional strength to the edges of the lower notch 30.

About centrally on the top side 18 of the track liner, the flange is reduced in width as at 50 to about the Width of the web 12, and the web 12 is cut away immediately under this portion in a longslot 52. The flange is thus reduced to comfortable handle size in the region 50, and the slot 52 provides an opening for the fingers to pass through.

The portion 50 thus constitutes a handle for the track liner by which it may be carried and appropriately positioned on the track rail flange.

The base 16 is about three inches long and may be corrugated to avoid unwanted slipping as will be subsequently described.

I contemplate that my track liner will be used in conjunction with any ordinary railroad jack 56 such as that illustrated in FIG. 1. Such a jack has a base 58, which extends out in front of the operating part of the jack as at 60. The jack has a movable toe 62 which engages and raises a load. The jack may be of the ratchet type. It will have an operating lever socket 64.

To use my track liner, a small amount of ballast is scooped out from between adjacent railroad ties where the track needs correction. Desirably, my liner will be employed in pairs; that is, pressure will be applied to both rails simultaneously in order to achieve the desired shift. In FIG. 1, the pressure is shown as being applied from the outside of the rail between the ends of the ties 65. The other liner and jack will be situated between the two rails and the pressure applied to the other rail (not illustrated). The ballast 67 should be removed so as to provide about a slope 69 for the base of the jack to rest The jack will be placed in the excavated hole in the ballast in the fashion illustrated in FIG. 1. The toe 62 of the jack should be near its lowermost position. The track liner is placed with, desirably, the lower notch 30 overlapping the outside flange of the rail illustrated in FIG. 1 or the inside flange of the other rail, not shown, and the toe 62 of the jack brought up into contact with the base of the track liner.

It will be noted that the 60 angle between the front surface of the head 22 of the track liner and the base 16 thereof converts the 30 inclination of the jack to a directly lateral bearing against the rail. It will also be noted that the 85 angle between the base 16 and the top side 18 of the track liner permits a slight rearward rocking of the track liner on the toe of the jack. After the toe of the jack is firmly in contact with the base of the track liner, continued upward movement of the toe of the jack will cause the lateral component of the upward movement of the jack toe to be transmitted laterally to the rail to force the rail, and with it the ties, away from the jack. The looseness of fit as between the notch 30 and the rail flange permits a rotation of the track liner, a movement toward the horizontal, to absorb the upward component of motion of the toe of the jack.

When the jack toe has been moved up sufficiently far so that the track liner binds against the rail flange (the outer top edge of the notch against the top of the flange and the lower inner end of the notch against the bottom of the flange), the toe of the jack will be lowered until the track liner hangs narrowly free on the flange of the rail. As the jack is then again raised into engagement with the base of the track liner, the base of the track liner will have migrated the distance which the track has moved toward the outer end of the toe. Continued upward movement of the jack to the binding point described above will result in further lateral movement of the rail and ties. The base '16 of the track liner must, of course, be non-sliding with respect to the surface of the toe of the jack so that, as the toe of the jack is successively raised and lowered, the base of the track liner will continually migrate toward the outer end of the toe and inward slippage of the base of the track liner be avoided.

As the jack is successively manipulated up and down, the track liner will gradually migrate off the end of the toe entirely. Assuming there is more track correction to be made, the upper notch 30 will then be engaged with the flange of the rail, the toe of the jack being lowered sufficiently to accommodate this lowering. The length of the face of the toe on commonly encountered railroad jacks is about three inches, the same as the length of the base of the track liner. With the setting therefore of any one notch on the flange of the rail, a movement of slightly less than three inches of the rail can be obtained. The use of the upper notch permits a further movement of the same distance, and where there is a third, still higher notch provided, a further nearly three inches of movement can be obtained. Thereafter, however, should further movement of the rails be desired, a new 't must be prepared in the ballast to provide a new settihgfor the jack.

It will be appreciated that the track shifting obtained from the employment of my track liner is a result of compound arcuate rotation of the track liner and lateral movement thereof. The force, applied at the thirty degree angle by means of the jack toe, is resolvable into a vertical component and the horizontal component. I definitely contemplate that the track be not lifted in the use of my track liner. The vertical component of movement therefore is wholly absorbed by the angular movement of the track liner and only horizontal force is applied to the track itself in order to shift it. With each shift outward of the base of the track liner on the toe of the jack, a new center of rotation is provided for the track liner, laterally displaced from the former center.

The movement of a ratchet type jack is inherently intermittent. The jack toe is carried up by one set of dogs by a movement of the operating bar in one direction, and drops slightly down on another set of holding dogs while the operating bar is moved in the other direction. I have found that this periodic downward movement is generally sufficient in itself to achieve the migration of the track liner ofi the end of the toe. As the pressure of the toe against the base of the liner is released, the base slides down on the toe to a new operating position. It is thus not generally necessary to reverse manually the direction of jack movement in order to reposition the liner on the toe. A ratchet jack has sufiicient reversal inherent in its ordinary movement.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative form of base for a track liner, employing, however, the same principle of operation described above. In that case, the base 16 is in the form of an obtuse angle having a generally semicircuar transverse boss 70 formed at the angle edge. The toe 62 of the jack should have a transverse semi-circular groove 74 therein shaped to receive boss 70. It will be evident that this structure permits a rocking of the track liner on the surface of the toe of the jack and, at the same time, prevents any possible slip between the base of the track liner and the toe of the jack. In order that substantial movement of the rail be possible with any given setting of the jack, the angle of the base should permit a relatively great rotary movement of the liner. To take advantage of this movement, the notch engaging the rail flange should not cramp on the flange between the end points of movement.

The general structure of the modification illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 is substantialy the same as with the first described modification, except that the jaw face 76 has a single notch 78 therein substantially wider than the notches 30 of the first described form. The web 80 also has a pair of bosses 82 formed thereon rearward of the notch 78 which extend out from the web opposite each other and slightly beyond the sides of the head 76. A central hole 84 is bored through the bosses and web to receive a bolt 86.

A rectilinear tongue 88 is positioned in the notch 78 and a pair of arms 90 extend backwardly from the tongue and are bored at their rearward ends to be held against the bosses 82 by the bolts 86. A pair of legs 92 extend upwardly from the arms 90 and are bent toward each other at their upper ends as at 94. The upper ends 94 are Welded as at 98 to one end of a bar 96. The rearward portion of the bar 96 constitutes a handle for the track liner and a means for positioning the tongue 88.

It will be noted that the inclination of the top and bottom sides 100, 102 are the same as the top and bottom sides of the notches 30. The tongue 38 is so pivoted on the bolt 86 as to lie flat against either the top or bottom surfaces 100, 102 of the notch 78. It likewise is of a thickness such that when occupying either of these positions, the reduced notch resulting is identical with the notches 30 of the first described form.

This structure has advantages and limitations over the first described form. The upper and lower head portions 104, 106 may be heavier than in the first described form since not as much space on the head is devoted to the notches. On the other hand, the separation between the upper notch, defined when the tongue 88 is in its lower position against the surface 102, and the lower notch, when the tongue 88 is against the upper surface is not as great as in the first illustrated form. Therefore, the first form will permit a Wider degree of track shifting than the second form from any one setting of the track jack 56.

As stated, the progressive movement of the track is achieved by the migration of the base of the track liner off the end of the jack toe. Were it possible, therefore, to extend the jack toe, a greater amount of rail movement could be obtained from any one positioning of the track jack.

FIGS. and 11 illustrate an extension which may be secured to the toe of a track jack in order to obtain this desirable extended movement. The extension should consist of a rectangular piece of heavy metal plate 110. The extension may extend out beyond the end of the jack toe a distance about the length of the toe.

Illustrated is one method of attaching the extension to the jack toe. A dovetail groove 112 is formed on the underside of the extension 110 and a dovetail 114 is formed on the top Side of the toe. The extension thus may be slid on the toe from the front end thereof. The extension should have a threaded bore therein adapted to overlie the surface of the jack toe when the extension is fully inserted on the toe which contains a set screw 116 to lock the extension to the toe and prevent the undesired forward displacement thereof.

The major problem implicit in the operation of my device is the avoidance of slip between the base of the track liner and the toe of the jack as the toe of the jack is raised to impart horizontal, pressure against the track flange. In my primary modification, I contemplate that the base of the track liner migrate off the end of the toe of the jack as the jack is manipulated. Obviously, if the base of the track liner is to slip backward on the toe against the jack housing, no movement will be imparted to the rail. The knurled surface of the base 16 of the liner illustrated in FIG. 3 prevents this slip.

Another way of preventing the slip lies in the employment of a soft metal cap 120 secure dto the base of the liner as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. This is a rectangular plate, and aluminum would be an appropriate metal to employ. The base cap may be attached to the base of the track liner by providing a transverse dovetail 122 on the base 16 of the track liner and providing a corresponding dovetail groove 124 on the base cap 120. The fit should be tight so as to prevent accidental loss of the base cap and may be tight enough so as to require that the cap be driven on. The base cap 120 may be plane on the bottom for general employment as the principal modification is described; that is, movement of the rail is accomplished by the track liner walking off the end of the jack toe. Alternatively, a rib 126 may be provided on the rear edge of the cap to permit a greater range of pivotal movement of the liner with reference to the jack toe. By virtue of the load being concentrated over the smaller area of soft metal, the tendency to slip will be even more greatly reduced.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that my invention is capable of taking many forms and of being used in many different ways with a variety of accessories to improve its performance. For instance, to accommodate rails of different dimensions, inserts may be provided to fit in the notches of the liner to reduce the eifective width thereof. Other modifications of like nature will undoubtedy suggest themselves, and I, therefore, desire that my invention be regarded as being limited only as set forth in the following claims:

I claim:

1. A track liner comprising a generally polygonal heavy metal figure having a notch in one edge thereof generally normal to said edge shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail and a base edge remote from said notched edge inclined at about sixty degrees with respect to said notched edge, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

2. A track liner comprising a generally polygonal heavy metal figure, one edge of said figure being vertical and having a notch therein generally normal to said edge and shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail, and a base edge remote from said notched edge below said notched edge and inclined with respect to said notched edge so that the projections of said edges meet at about 6 sixty degrees below said liner, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

3. A track liner comprising a generally trapezoidal heavy metal figure having a face edge, said edge having a notch therein generally normal to said edge and shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail, a bottom edge meeting said face edge at about one hundred twenty degrees, a base edge meeting said bottom edge at about one hundred twenty degrees, and a top edge meeting said base edge at no more than ninety degrees and extending to said face edge, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is app-lied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said top edge includes a portion adjacent said :base edge and meeting said base edge at about eighty-five degrees.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said face edge has at least two notches therein normal to said edge and shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said base edge has a non-skid surface.

7. A track liner comprising a generally trapezoidal web and a flange surrounding said web, the flange on one edge thereof having a notch therein substantially normal to said edge and to said web and shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail, and a base edge downwardly convergent with said notched edge at about sixty degrees, the flange on said notched edge being of a width so that the portion of the flange remaining inwardly of said notch is about equal in width to the flange on the other sides of the figure, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

8. A track liner comprising a generally trapezoidal figure having a central web and a flange surrounding said web, a face edge having a notch therein shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail substantially normal to said edge,'a bottom edge meeting said notched edge at about one hundred twenty degrees, a base edge meeting said bottom edge at about one hundred twenty degrees, and a top edge meeting said base edge at no more than ninety degrees and extending to said face edge, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said web has a slot therein adjacent the top edge and extending substantially the length of the top edge, and

the top edge flange is reduced in thickness to about the thickness of the web.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base edge includes a soft metal cap secured thereto.

11. A track liner comprising a heavy metal, generally trapezoidal figure having a relatively wide notch in one edge thereof, the sides of said notch being inclined with respect to each other as the top and bottom sides of a track rail flange are inclined, the remaining portions of said edge constituting heavy upper and lower jaws, an edge constituting a base remote from said notched edge and having at least a portion thereof below said notch and downwardly convergent with said notched edge at about sixty degrees, a tongue, rectangular in section, situated in said notch and pivotally mounted on said figure rearwardly of said notch to 'lie fiat alternatively against either of the sides of said notch, said tongue in either of said positions defining with the side of the notch other than that side against which the tongue lies a notch shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail, whereby,

when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

12. Track lining mechanism including a track jack having a toe, a substantially trapezoidal track liner having a horizontal notch in one edge thereof adapted to embrace loosely the flange of a rail and a base remote from said edge and below said notch inclined forwardly and downwardly about thirty degrees from the horizontal, and a rigid extension secured to the upper face of the track jack toe to extend the effective length of the track jack toe to not more than twice its own length, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail, force applied against said base by movement of said jack toe is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

13. Track lining mechanism including a track jack having a toe, a substantially trapezoidal track liner having a horizontal notch in one edge thereof adapted to 20 embrace loosely the flange of a rail and a base remote from said edge and below said notch inclined generally forwardly and downwardly about thirty degrees from the horizontal, the upper surface of said track jack toe and the surface of said base of said liner including a transverse rib on one of said surfaces and a transverse groove on the other of said surfaces to receive said rib, said surfaces being normally divergent from each other from said groove and rib, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail, force applied against said base by movement of said jack toe is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

14. A track liner comprising a generally polygonal heavy metal figure having a face edge, a base edge and intermediate edges between the terminal portions of said face edge and said base edge, said face edge having a cut-out portion forming a notch therein that is shaped to embrace loosely the flange of a rail and that is generally normal to said face edge, said base edge having means to prevent slippage when engaged in surface contact with the toe of a jack, and said face edge and said base edge being so disposed that the extensions of the planes formed by the surfaces thereof intersect at an angle of about 60, whereby, when said notch embraces the flange of a rail and force is applied generally normal to said base edge, said force is resolved into at least one component that is generally normal to said notched edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,475 Youtz et a1 May 5, 1896 587,772 Watson 2. Aug. 10, 1897 1,128,257 Reilley Feb. 9, 1915 1,148,856 Quesenberry Aug. 3, 1915 1,329,185 Kawashima Jan. 27, 1920 1,572,477 Hackmann Feb. 9, 1926 2,063,060 Sheetz Dec. 8, 1936 2,092,719 Ryerson Sept. 7, 1937 2,191,279 Keator Feb. 20, 1940 2,498,046 McMillan Feb. 21, 1950 2,542,274 Carpenter Feb. 20, 1951 

